The World’s Largest Video Game Controller Delights Nerds, Puzzles Bystanders

When someone describes themselves as the biggest gamer, the typical connotation is that they are a gaming enthusiast who plays and knows a lot about video games. You hear similar descriptions all the time. “I’m the biggest football fan.” “I’m the biggest reader.” “I’m the biggest stamp collector.” It goes on.

While such descriptions will remain only superlatives, a trio of students from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands decided to turn the idea of “the biggest” on its ear and, five months and over $6,000 later, have literally built the largest video game controller in the world.

The gargantuan controller, certified by the Guinness World Records, was unveiled for the first time today at the Liverpool Street station in London as part of today’s release of Guiness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2012.

The design of the controller is based on the classic NES model and, yes, is completely function. You might have some trouble toggling those Tetris pieces with this controller, though, as it literally requires two people just to operate it. Well, I guess you could try to play a game by yourself using this controller but, I mean, if you think you can do that you might as well try sprinting to Jupiter or eating dinosaur meat because… ah, c’mon, you’re just not going to be able to do it. Admit it. This warlock is 30 TIMES the size of the original NES controller! If you were to stand it up on its end, it would stand 167 feet tall. To put the truly Brobdingnagian device into perspective, The Daily Mail shared these photos of the controller on display today:

It almost looks as if you might need more than two people to go stomping Koopa Troopas. And because you are dying to know how (un)tenable the remote is, Gamezine was on hand at the exhibition to give the controller a try and had this to say about the experience:

Within its pleasingly chunky wooden frame, the giant pad uses light-sensitive technology to detect when the buttons and D-pad have been pressed. Commuters looked on aghast as Gamezine tried its hand at evergreen classic Super Mario Bros. Despite some frantic button clobbering and careful ‘communication’ (shouting), we failed to make it past level 1 – but it was a memorable experience that brought a new dimension to a classic game, even if you need a sizable spare room to store it in.

I don’t know about you, but the image of grown ups shouting at a funny 8-bit video game in a crowded subway station while stomping away on a HUGE controller puts an incredibly sincere grin on my face.

In case you were curious about what the competition looked like for gaining entry into the famed Guinness World Records, here’s a look at a couple of guys from G4 who constructed “the world’s largest” NES controller a few years ago.